Local fans embrace The King's return

WOOSTER -- For long-suffering Cleveland sports fans, Friday afternoon's stunning announcement of LeBron James' return to the Cavaliers will rank as one of those seminal "Where were you when?" moments.

"I was at home and my daughter was straightening my hair," said Dainyelle Mitchem. "It came up on my phone and we jumped up and started screaming like idiots."

After being spurned four years ago, local fans have forgiven James for The Decision, because thanks to the return of the King, the city's first championship in any sport in more than 50 years now doesn't seem like such a crazy thought.

Ever since he left the Cavaliers in 2010, James had been villainized by native Clevelanders, not so much for his decision itself, but for choosing to go on national television to dump his hometown team. Mitchem and her fiancee Wade Adams, who both live in Wooster, are two of the few fans who have continued to cheer for James since he bolted for Miami. In fact, Adams has a whole room of his house decked out in James apparel and paraphernalia.

"I've been ragged on Facebook intensely," Adams said with a smile. "They call me a bandwagon fan, but it's been worth it. He's returned."

Both Adams and Mitchem admit, though, that it means more cheering for James when he's playing for their hometown team. Mitchem was almost positive that James was returning this summer, although her faith wavered slightly late Thursday night.

"I was confident," she said, "until yesterday when I heard he got on that flight to Miami. I was up until 2 in the morning waiting and there was nothing.

"I just had a feeling he was coming back," she added. "It's his home and you always come back home."

Smithville resident Bob Wickens, 55, grew up going to the Coliseum to watch the Cavaliers in the days of Mark Price and Brad Daugherty. While he certainly has some fond memories, the heartbreaks far outnumber the triumphs -- that is the essence of Cleveland fandom. That's why Friday afternoon's announcement felt surreal.

"I didn't want to get my hopes up because of what happened four years ago -- I was crushed," Wickens said. "Today I felt like a little kid. I've been so starved for championships and I want to see a Cleveland team win a championship before I die."

Wickens was struck by the way in which James handled the situation this time around, a stark contrast from 2010.

"He's matured," Wickens said. "He's not the same person he was four years ago. I thought he was out for himself. But he talked in the letter about how going to Miami was like going to college and growing up -- and he did. I'm excited."

Like Wickens and nearly every other Ohio native, Dan Shuman was upset with how James handled The Decision four years ago. However, he also pointed out that the way Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert personally attacked James in his infamous Comic Sans letter certainly didn't help things. James' decision to return is not only about his maturation, but a sign that the past is irrelevant. At this point, he and Gilbert are united toward one goal -- finally bringing Cleveland a title.

"The way the whole thing went down -- the fan reaction, Gilbert's letter -- after that I thought he was done," said Shuman, who lives in Wooster. "But he's just a guy that understands that it's four years later. You gotta do what you gotta do. There's no use holding a grudge." Shuman points out that James will not only bring the Cavaliers more wins, but he'll bring more dollars to the vendors around Quicken Loans Arena.

"It's great from an economic aspect," he said. "It's going to help the businesses downtown."

One of the most interesting parts of James' letter was that his decision to leave Miami wasn't about basketball. It was about unfinished business in his old stomping grounds. Sooner or later, there's always a calling that brings one back to his old roots.

"He grew up around here," said Orrville resident Jimmy Fitzwater. "He graduated from St. Vincent-St. Mary. He had to come back and play with the home team. Everybody comes back to their hometown."

Wickens said that sense of belonging to Cleveland's tortured sports history is ultimately what brought him back. On some level, he knew that no matter how many titles he won in Miami, it wouldn't mean as much compared to if he finally captured one in Cleveland.

"He grew up with Cleveland sports and he's seen the heartbreaks," Wickens said. "He knows how starved the Cleveland community is for a championship. He realizes he wants to be that person who does it."

Shuman admitted he hasn't watched much of the NBA the last four years, but James' homecoming will undoubtedly change that. Nonetheless, as a true Cleveland pessimist, he's still not ready to declare that a championship parade will follow the return.

"It's Cleveland -- they never win anything and I've been watching Cleveland sports for 30 years," he said with a smile.

There was, however, a caveat.

"Now they've got a better chance."

Andrew Vogel can be reached at 330-287-1624 or avogel@the-daily-record.com. Follow him on Twitter at @andvogel.